Ohmer House. Thump thump thump thump thump. Mia's hard footsteps plunk on our laminate hardwood floor. She's running laps around the dining room table. I moved from the couch, to a yellow collapsable rocking chair so I can keep one eye on her and the other on the Panthers game.

She stops running and sits cross legged on the floor at the head of the table. Her breathing is labored as she's taking full gulps of juice out of her sippy cup. She drinks for what feels like a full minute but is more likely 15 seconds. "Ahhh" she punctuates the last of the juice as if she's auditioning for a Coke commercial.

She leaves her empty cup on the table and walks over to the chair where I'm sitting. She looks at me as if to say "what should I do now?" "Why don't you get out some toys." I said. Sold. I keep some toys in the large armoir where we put the TV. She opened up the bottom doors and immediately pulled out a drum. Mia's Aunt Star sent her the drum for Christmas two years ago, I responded by sending her daughter a pair of cymbals. BUM BUM BUM BUM, Mia shot a look at me with a sly smile expecting me to be annoyed by the noise. When she saw my face had no reaction, she looked for a new toy.

With both hands she grabs her large purple and pink princess castle. She goes back to the cabinet and pulls out the clear bin that holds the princesses and their furniture. She looks at me "mo" she says. I know she wants me to open it for her. "Open" I say as my hands make the open clap gesture. "Openn" she said. "Mia you said open!" I exclaimed! "Yes open, I will open it for you!" As if to say, yeah so what she just went right to picking out the princess she wanted. Maybe she could speak all along and just didn't want to.